Record-strip-feeding mechanism.



` J. s. ANc'noFT. REGOI'mD STRIP FEED'ING MECHANISM.

(Application med Nov. 1901.)

u rl/ wits/mano UNITED STATES.:-

JoHN SELLERS EANoEoEnoE PHILADELPHIA, PENNsrLynNI, AssIcN'or-t,`

PATENT OFFICE.

BY MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, TO LANSTON MONOTYIEMACI-IINE COMPANY, OF WASHINGTON, DISTRICT:A OF COLUMBIA, A CORPORATION OF VIR- GINIA.

R'EcoRD-sTmP-FEEDING- MEcHANislvLF SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No, 700,289, dated May 20,1902.

Application filed November 9, 1901. Serial No. 81717. (No model.)v i

To all whom it may concern.: y

Be it known' that I, JOHN SELLERS BAN! GROFT, of Philadelphia, in'the county of Philadelphia,State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Record-Strip-Feeding Mechanism; and I do hereby declare thefollowingtobe a full, clear,'and

exact description of the same, reference being hadto the accompanying drawings, forming 1o a part of this specification, and to the figures of reference markedthereon. l

This inventionl relates to the controller or1 record-strip-feeding mechanism of type-casting and composing machines-such, for ex- I5 ample, as described in Patent No. 625,99Es-'-al` though applicable to analogous uses; and it consists in the novel construction and arrangement of the spooling devices, havingfor its object to facilitate the application and re-` zo, moval of the supply and winding spoolsand the actuating of the latter to take up'slack and preserve the proper tensionon the paper.v

In the' accompanying drawings, illustrating a preferred formof embodiment, 'Figure l is 2 5 an end elevation of a feeding mechanism withI the improvements applied thereto. Fig'. 2 is a longitudinal section through the receiving Vor winding s'pool'and its ycentering and driv-` ing devices.'` Fig. 3 is aV similarview of the 3o spoolldetached. Fig. 4 is a detail showing in perspective the support for one endof the spool. Fig'. 5 is a similar View showing the support for the opposite end of the spool. Figj Gis adetached view in perspective ofthe Similar numbers of reference inthe several figures indicate the same parts. f

The feed mechanism shown by wayof illustration is that of Patent No.674,362. It will 4o be sufficient for present purposes to designate the principal elements as follows: l, the

frame; 2, the shaft carrying the feedingdevices; .3, .the ratchet-wheelon said' shaft; 4,

the holding-pawly 5, the fecding-pawl 6, one

of the actuating-arms of the air-bar; 7, the

connecting-rod; 8, the pivoted arm through which motion is transmitted from the connecting-rod to the feeding devices and airbar, and Qfand lO transmitting devices interthe feeding-devices, that thewinding-spoolshould possess thecapacity'ofjatake-up in addition to its normal oftice'ofreceiving the strip in order to accommodatev differences in diameter and to take up slack, andl that the spools should be readily and quickly inserted and removed. Withftheseends in View the supply spool 20' instead of `.being mounted upon a removable pin and supported in bearing 22 on the frameis inserted loosely in a concave receptacle or trough 23, Whose curvalsoA ture approximates that ofthe ,periphery of the spool-headsiand is provided with shoulders 24, between which the 'heads of the spool are received. The spool, Withits supply of record, is thus supported and guided by its heads,which latter by-their contact with .the inner surface ofthe trough oer frictional resistance to motion proportional tothe weight ofthe spool vplus the strip remaining on the spool. lTo'adapt,this holder to existing machines,.its` ends 'are cutaway vto'conformtothe outline of'the lframe and formed'or provided .'Wi'th hooksl-25ffor engagingthe open `bearings"onfthe' frame, so that .when in-place the'sides of the frame act as continuations of the ,end pieces aswell as stops for positioningthe holder.

,I The winding-spool-is composed of a cylindrical body portion26, Figs.'2 and, with a p ange or head 27 applied ,to one endthereof.

The body and head are preferably of f'nietall,

the former being hollow and having its endv closed by a plug 28, detachably secured thereto. This plug 28 is formed with a bearing 29, in which is received one end of a rod 30,

whose opposite end is furnished with a center-L preferably mounted upon a disk 33, which is threaded upon rod 30, as shown in Figs. 2 and 3.

Vithin the body 2G is arranged a spring 34, interposed between a bearing 35 and a shoulder 36 on rod 30. This spring operates in a direction to hold shoulder 36 normally in contact with the inner surface of plug 28, in which position rod 30 occupies bearing 29 and is flush, or nearly so, with the outer face of plug 28, while center-pin 31 and locking-pin are retracted within the spool. Thus both ends of the spool are free of projections and present parallel surfaces.

To facilitate the attachment of the end of record-strip, the winding-spool is furnished with a flexible tongue 39, attached at one end to the body portion near head 27and extending longitudinally thereof.

Upon one of the side pieces of the frame l is attached a thimble 40, through which and the side piece extends the centering pin or journal 4l. The outer end of this pin 4l is provided with a head 42, furnished with a projection 43, resting normally in a depression in thimble 40, and within the latter is contained a spring 44, operating upon pin 41 to project it through the frame.

Vhen piu 41 is withdrawn against the pressure of its spring and is turned to move projection 43 from the recess, the end of pin stands iush with or within the face of the frame and offers no obstruction to the insertion of the spool.

In the opposite side piece and in alinement with pin 41 is a shaft 45, provided with a head or face plate 4G, containing a center bearing 47 to receive centering-pin 31 and a series of locking-holes 48, arranged in a circle concentric with bearing 47 and adapted to receive locking-pin 32.

To the outer end of shaft 45 is secured ratchet-wheel 49, and on said shaft is pivoted an arm 50, carrying a pawl 5l, held in engagement with said wheel by a spring 52, the latter also operating to advance arm 50. Connected to rod 7 is a tension-restorer on arm 53, provided with a projection or shoulder 54, against which arm 50 bears.

Upon the side pieces of the frame l are secured concave iianges 55, Figs. l and 3, which coperate with the body and head of the winding-spool in properly locating the latter when first inserted.

It will be observed that when the windingspool is detached there are no projections on its ends to be battered or caught and that the opposite faces of the support between which the spool is to beinseri'ed and held are likewise devoid of projecting pivots. All that is required is to place the spool in position against concaves 55, turn the centering-pin 41 until its projection is opposite the recess, and release it. This brings pin 41 inline with rod 30. The power of spring 44 exceeds that of spring 34. Hence the formerV dominating it forces rod 30 longitudinally, thereby protruding its centering-pin 3l into center hole 47 of head 46, while locking-pin 32 enters one of the holes 48, thus completing the attachment. As the beveled ends of pins 4l and 3l engage their bearings the spool is lifted clear of the concave guides 55. Centering-piu 3l extends slightly beyond locking-pin 32, so that if the latter should not exactly register with one of the holes 48 the spool would be centered and held until by a slight movement of either the spool or the head 4G such registry was effected.

The winding motion of the spool is derived from spring 52 and accompanies the delivery of the strip by the feeding devices, while the action of arm 53 in retracting pawl 51 and restoring the tension of the spring precedes such feeding action. The excursions of arm 53 are uniform iu extent and more than sufficient in degree to take up the amount of strip delivered during the single feeding. Consequently, excepting at the start or when slack is formed between the feeding devices and winding-spool, pawl 5l is arrested during its forward or winding stroke and before arm 53 reaches the limit of its back or down stroke by the record-strip, the latter being` drawn taut and so held by the tension exerted by the winding-spring 52. The strip is thus maintained at all times under tension of the winding-spring, the latter being restored to the maximum degree of tension during each stroke of connecting-rod 7.

In the event slack is formed between the feeding devices and the winding-spool, as when the strip is taken up for inspection or readjustment, a few strokes of the connecting-rod 7 will suffice to take up the surplus and restore the tension, owing to the fact that at each stroke more of the strip will be wound on the spool than is delivered by the feeding devices. Moreover, should the feed of the strip be interrupted, as sometimes happens through accident or design, tearing of the record-strip is prevented, as the maximum tension to which the strip is at any time subjected is that produced by the Windingspring when arm 53 is at one extreme of its motion.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In a record-strip-feeding mechanism the combination with the feeding devices en gaging the strip to advance the latter, of a supply-spool provided with heads and a concave holder provided with shoulders for positioning the spool, the peripheries of the heads of said spool being maintained by gravity in frictional contact with said holder; substantially as described.

2. In a record-strip-feeding mechanism the combination with the strip-feeding devices, of a concave trough or receptacle whose end pieces are cut away to fit the side pieces of IOO IIO

the frame and provided With hooks engaging bearingsA in the frame, substantiallyl as described.

3. In arecord-strip-feeding mechanism, the combination withthe strip-feeding devices,oi:` a winding-spool and actuating devices therefor inclu'ding Va motor-spring and a tensionrestorer, the latter reciprocating in unison with the feeding devices, to restore the initial tension of the spring for each feed movement, substantially as described.

fl.y In a record-strip-feeding mechanism the combination with strip-feeding devices, and a Winding-spool, of actuating mechanism for said spool, theV same'including a ratchet, a motor-spring for advancing the spool, and a retracting device actuated by the feeding de` vices, to restore the initial tension of the motor-spring after eacli advance of the feeding devices; substantially as described. y

In a record-strip-feeding mechanism the combination with record-strip-feeding devices and a Winding-spool of actuating devices for said spool,the same comprising a ratchet-Wheel, a pawl, a motor-spring foradvancing said pawl, an arm connected to the feeding devices and reciprocating in the path of the pawl-carrier, said arm being located in advance of the paWl-carrier and engaging the latter to move it in opposition to the motorspring; substantially as described.

6. In a record-strip-feeding mechanism the combination of the following elements, to wit a spring-actuated center-pin; a revoluble head having a center bearing in alineprovided with a center-pin and a locking-pin;

substantially as described.

'7. In arecord-strip-feeding mechanism the combination with the frame, the spring-actuated center-pin, the rotary head, and the spool provided With a bearing in one end and a rod provided with a center-pin andlockingpin movable through the opposite end of the spool, of the'guides 'xed tothe frame and serving to position the spool preliminaryto the entrance of the center-pin andY movement ofthe -rod into engagement with the lrocatory head; substantially as described.

8. As a new article of manufacture a Wind= ing-spool for record strip feeding mechanisms, the same comprising a' tubular body provided at one end with a center bearing, a rod provided at one end with a center-pin and a locking-pin resting in apertures in one head of the. body, while the opposite end of the rod occupies the center bearing in the other endl of the body, and a spring engaging said rod to hold it retracted Within the body g sub'- stantially as described.

J. SELLERS BANCROFT;

Witnesses:

FRANK G. GRiER, I FRANCIS E. OUNSWORTH. 

